


More Than a Distraction

by daydreamsonacloudyday



Series: Nova Ryder [1]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-07 19:13:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11630097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daydreamsonacloudyday/pseuds/daydreamsonacloudyday
Summary: Nova and Reyes need a distraction at Sloane's party.(fluff)





	More Than a Distraction

**Author's Note:**

> This is my version of what happens at Sloane's party with Nova and Reyes. Nova has feelings for Reyes, though she tries to pretend she doesn't because she's been warned that it's not a good idea for the Pathfinder to end up with an exile smuggler. This is my first Nova/Reyes fic, so I hope you all enjoy it!

"What the hell are you doing?"

Reyes snapped his gaze up to Nova as she narrowed her eyes, and he quickly stepped back from the crate.

"Nova! It's not what it looks like," he said, lifting his arms up in a defensive position.

Frowning, she stepped closer to him, crossing her arms over her chest. "So you didn't use me as a distraction to go through Sloane's stuff?"

"Okay, yes," Reyes admitted, slowly approaching her. "But it's for both our benefit! I promise."

"Really?" Nova began, noticing his gaze drift towards the doorway. She rolled her eyes and continued. "Do you want to explain how—"

"Shit—someone's coming!" he interrupted, his gaze darting around the room before landing on hers. "We need a distraction!"

Nova's stomach dropped. "Can't we just hide?"

"And risk being found among Sloane's things? No."

Looking around them for a spark of inspiration, Nova swallowed hard, the footsteps of whoever was approaching growing louder. She turned to Reyes, his brows furrowed and his lips pressed thin, and a scene from a vid she'd recently watched popped into her head.

Nova grabbed the front of Reyes' shirt and jerked him towards her, closing her eyes and pressing her lips to his. Without hesitating, Reyes responded, chasing away all thoughts of how kissing him was her _worst_ idea ever. His fingers brushed against her scalp as he cradled her head, sending tingles down her spine, the faint taste of alcohol on his lips as he deepened the kiss. Nova barely noticed his other hand on her hip, completely drawn in by the softness of his lips and the way he moved them against hers.

Reyes suddenly pulled back, leaving her breathless as she stared at him, blinking her eyes rapidly. He was looking towards the doorway again, and then he met her gaze, his lips curling into a smirk.

"I think we're in the clear," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Glancing back towards the door, Nova's eyes widened when she realized whoever had been coming was long gone by then. She cleared her throat as she turned back to Reyes, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

"Right." She finally released his shirt, horrified that she'd still been grasping it. "That was just a distraction," she clarified, unsure if she was saying that for his benefit or _her own_. "It didn't mean anything."

Reyes' looked to her lips before meeting her eyes again, and she inhaled sharply, keenly aware of just how close he still was. "It'll be our little secret," he breathed, his accented voice deeper than usual.

He pulled away from her and she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding as she bit her lip. She didn't know what to expect when she kissed him, but she definitely didn't expect him to react like _that._ The man knew how to use his mouth, and all she wanted to do was kiss him again—despite the fact that she was _not_ supposed to want to kiss him in the first place.

_That's what you get for watching so many vids with Liam_.

"Finally! Here it is," she heard Reyes say triumphantly, pulling her from her thoughts. He jumped down from the storage crate he was on, a bottle in his hand.

"Is that _whiskey_?" she asked, realizing what he was holding, a frown settling on her lips. "Don't tell me all of this was about _whiskey_?"

"The only bottle of Mount Milgrom in Andromeda. Triple-distilled and six hundred forty-five years old." Reyes practically cradled the bottle in his arms, and she quirked an eyebrow at him. "This isn't whiskey—it's _treasure_ ," he finished with conviction.

"There is something seriously wrong with you, Reyes."

To her surprise, he grinned at her and grabbed her by the hand, quickly tugging her towards the doorway out of the storage room. "Let's get out of here."

\- . - . - . - . -

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Reyes said, looking out over Kadara Port beneath them from the perch they sat upon.

"It is beautiful," Nova said with a sigh, before a grin crept onto her lips. "You know, now that the water isn't on fire anymore."

Chuckling, Reyes tore his gaze from the view before them and turned it on her. "Is Andromeda everything you hoped it would be?"

"No," she muttered, sliding closer to him to grab the stolen whiskey from him, then taking another drink from it.

"No?"

"No." Nova's brows drew together as she stared down at the bottle in her hands. "I was a peacekeeper back in the Alliance, and then I was able to join a Prothean research team—to assist them with support and defense. Finding Prothean artifacts was fun and exciting at first, but then it got boring," she started, drawing out the last word, practically whining it. "All I did was shoot raiders and pirates and lift heavy stuff with my biotics. And it's not like my career was going anywhere thanks to my dad getting dishonorably discharged.

"When I signed up for the Initiative, I thought I was finally going to get to start over and have some adventure in my life," she continued. "I mean, don't get me wrong, coming to a new galaxy wasn't going to be easy, but I didn't think it was going to be _this_ hard." Pausing, Nova sighed and took another drink of whiskey. "My dad was supposed to be the Pathfinder, not me. He was supposed to lead the way, while my brother and I followed along while he did his Pathfinder-thing. But instead, he's dead, my brother is in a coma, and _I'm_ the one stuck figuring out how to make this damn place livable without them."

Nova sniffled, and passed the bottle of whiskey to Reyes.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, and she met his gaze, a sincere look in his eyes. "About your father and brother."

"It's fine, I'm just… sorry for dumping that on you. I ramble when I'm tipsy."

Reyes grinned. "You're tipsy _already_?"

"Lightweight, remember?" He let out a light laugh and she smiled. "What about you? Why'd you come to Andromeda?"

Looking out over Kadara again, he took a long sip of whiskey before he sighed. "To be someone," he simply said, his brows furrowing.

"You are someone, Reyes," Nova started, and he looked at her, an eyebrow quirked. "From what I've seen and heard, you're damn good at your job. And you're honorable—well, as honorable as a smuggler canbe," she corrected, and he huffed. "Plus, you actually care about the people here. You wouldn't be helping me if you weren't." Nova tilted her head and studied him a moment. "You're a good person behind all the drinking, flirting, and sweet talk. Not everyone may see it, but I do."

Reyes stared at her, the intensity of his gaze startling, and she tore her eyes away from him.

"Sorry, I'm rambling again," she murmured.

"Nova," he breathed, his voice thick. She looked back at him, her breath rushing out of her lungs when she met his burning gaze. His lips were parted, his eyes focused on her.

"Yeah?"

"I'm starting to think that kiss was more than just a distraction," he said softly, a small smile on his lips. He brought his hand up to her face, his fingers brushing over her cheek. Nova leaned into his touch and swallowed hard.

"And if it was?" she whispered, looking back and forth between his eyes.

The corner of Reyes' lips quirked up as his smile grew, and he leaned in towards her. Nova closed her eyes as their noses brushed together, her breath catching in her throat when his lips met hers. This time, there were no thoughts of how it was a mistake or a bad idea, just that she wanted _more_.

Nova pulled him closer as their lips moved over each others, her fingers digging into his back, a soft moan slipping out of her mouth as he did the same, his fingers tangling in her hair.

When they finally broke apart, they were both panting, his forehead resting against hers as his breath tickled her lips.

"I should get you back to your ship," Reyes said.

"I don't want to go back yet."

"What do you want?"

" _You_ ," she breathed, meeting his gaze.

"As tempting as that sounds," he began, eyes darting to her lips quickly, "I promised to be a perfect gentleman."

"You don't have to be."

Reyes laughed before he pulled back. "Let's go."

"Fine," she said, huffing.

He stood and offered her his hand. Nova took it, the world spinning as she rose up from the crates they sat upon, and she placedher other hand on his chest to steady herself.

"Okay," she started, trying to regain her balance. "I think I'm more than just a bit tipsy."

"You think?" Reyes said with a chuckle, and she rolled her eyes at him, biting back a smile as he escorted her back to the Tempest.

"Thank you for walking me back to the ship."

"Perfect gentleman, remember?" he replied, grinning.

Nova smiled back and then sighed, wishing their night wasn't coming to an end. "Goodnight, Reyes," she said softly, her eyes locked on his.

Her breath caught in her throat as he moved closer to her, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, his gaze boring into hers. "Goodnight, Nova," he breathed, before winking at her and turning to leave.

Her mouth fell open as she watched him walk away, her stomach flipping. When he was out of sight, she huffed a laugh— _of course_ he would leave like that.

Nova knew that being with Reyes was a bad idea. Most of her friends had already warned her that he was a shifty criminal that she shouldn't trust, despite his urge to help her get an outpost on Kadara. Not to mention that the Nexus would never accept the Pathfinder being involved with an exile.

But, despite all of it, Nova had feelings for Reyes Vidal… and there was no denying it anymore.


End file.
